More cup prints

Cup Printing

Fourth Grade students created abstract prints by dipping cups into black paint and printing them on white paper. Emphasis was placed on making sure the cup prints were balanced across the page. Then they used tempera paint to create more visual interest. Again, students were encouraged to keep their artwork balanced by making sure the colors were used evenly across the page and to use repeating colors to get the eye to move around the page.

Finally, students had a critique where they were able to give constructive criticism to their classmates. Students answered these questions: Does the artwork appear balanced? Why or why not? Is there anything you would add to the artwork? Is there anything you would've done differently?

One Point Perspective Drawings

Fifth grade students learned to draw realistic landscapes and cityscapes using one-point perspective. Students used a ruler to draw a horizon line and vanishing point. They learned that objects appear smaller and less detailed the further they are away.

Giant Squids

Kindergarten students read the book, "I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean" by Kevin Sherry. They discussed the sizes of different ocean animals and found out that giant squids can grow to be as long as two school busses with eyes as big as soccer balls! They learned that squids are invertebrates, which means they don't have a backbone. While giant squids are very large, they are not the biggest thing in the ocean. Whales are the biggest thing in the ocean. Students painted their own giant squid with tempera paint.

Building Klimt

First Grade students looked at artwork by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. They noticed he often painted with gold paint and used swirly lines, black and white rectangles and different colored circles. Students used these elements in their artwork. Students listened carefully to specific directions such as, "draw flowers at the bottom of your page that have green stems and pink and purple flowers. Draw brown swirls above these flowers." Students discovered that everyone's artwork turned out differently even though each student was following the same directions. The class ended with a "gallery walk" so they could look at the artwork their classmates created.

Mendhi Hand Designs

Second Grade students learned that art takes many forms around the world. They discovered that people in many Middle Eastern countries decorate their hands with Mendhi for special occasions such as weddings. Mendhi is a paste that is spread on to the hands and is carefully scratched off with a small wooden tool to create intricate patterns. They learned that many designs incorporate a paisley pattern. Students created their own Mendhi hand designs and mounted these hands to a paper colored to look like fabric found in Middle Eastern Countries.

More Guitars

Groovy Guitars

Third Grade students practiced drawing the contour of an object and focused on drawing the contour of a real guitar. They painted the body of the guitar with analogous colors, or colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. They painted the sound hole in the guitar in the guitar with colors that contrasted with the color of the body of the guitar. Finally, they added strings, tuning pegs and other knobs.